1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of constructions and systems designed to seal between a curtain wall and the individual floors of a building. This area is commonly called a safing slot area and the present invention is useful specifically with those types of curtain walls which include a interior panel such as an back pan or other similar construction which can be of metal or other material extending across the interior surface which is common in modular designs. Such interior panels are commonly made from a metal or insulation material which can easily warp or be otherwise be deformed when exposed to the amount of heat commonly experienced in a burning environment. Flexing or warping of these interior panels can present significant problems in attempting to maintain a complete seal within the safing slots between the exterior edges of the floor construction and the exterior curtain wall construction during a fire. Maintaining of a complete seal at all time during a fire is important to prevent heat, smoke and flames from traveling from one floor to an adjacent floor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various designs have been patented for curtain walls and for means for insulating in the safing slots such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,144 patented Dec. 12, 1967 to P. A. Chauveau et al and assigned to Constructions Metalliques Fillod S. A. on an “External Sheathing or Curtain Wall”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,906 patented Apr. 20, 1976 to S. Mollinger on a “Flexible Curtain Wall”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,608 patented Jul. 13, 1976 to B. J. Swango on a “Curtain Wall Panel Support”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,629 patented Sep. 7, 1976 to C. W. Echols, Sr. and assigned to The Wilkliam L. Bonnell Company on a “Thermal Barrier Curtain Wall”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,107 patented Nov. 30, 1976 to A. A. Aughuet and assigned to Application de la Chimie, de l'Electricite et des Metaux, en abregen “SADACEM” on a “Curtain Wall Structure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,095 patented Sep. 9, 1980 to R. N. Weinar on a “Wall Constructed From Wallboard Held Together With Concealed Fasteners”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,341 patented May 22, 19084 to P. C. Taglianetti et al and assigned to PPG Industries, Inc. on a “Fire Containment Arrangement For Curtain Wall Construction”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,332 patented Jul. 30, 1985 to K. Gartner and assigned to Yoshida Kogyo K. K. on a “Rooftop Parapet For Thermally-Insulated Curtain Wall”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,755 patented Oct. 1, 1985 to S. L. Crandell and assigned to PPG Industries, Inc. on a “Curtainwall System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,793 patented Sep. 2, 1986 to W. R. Yost et al and assigned to Cadillac Rubber & Plastics, Inc. on a “Structural Gasket Wall”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,115 patented Sep. 9, 1986 to A. E. Thompson, Jr. and assigned to PPG Industries, Inc. on a “Multiple-Glazed Combination Vision And Spandrel Architectural Panel And Curtainwall”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,069 patented Sep. 30, 1986 to S. Tanikawa et al and assigned to Yoshida Kogyo K. K. on a “Prefabricated Curtain Wall Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,631 patented Jan. 6, 1987 to S. L. Crandell and assigned to PPG Industries, Inc. on a “Curtainwall System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,135 patented May 5, 1987 to S. Tanikawa et al and assigned to Yoshida Kogyo K. K. on a “Device For Mounting A Prefabricating Curtain Wall Unit To A Floor Structure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,136 patented May 5, 1987 to S. Tanikawa et al and assigned to Yoshida Kogyo K. K. on a “Prefabricated Curtain Wall Assembly Having Both Window And Spandrel Units”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,145 patented May 5, 1987 to S. Tanikawa et al and assigned to Yoshida Kogyo K. K. on a “Prefabricated Curtain Wall Assembly Having Both Window And Spandrel Units, And Method Of Installation”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,065 patented Apr. 19, 1988 to S. L. Crandell and assigned to PPG Industries, Inc. on a “Curtainwall System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,805 patented Oct. 17, 1989 to R. M. L. Ting on a “Connecting Means Of Curtainwall Supporting Mullions”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,380 patented Dec. 4, 1990 to K. G. Bernander et al on a “Framing For Structural Walls In Multistory Buildings”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,645 patented Oct. 18, 1994 to F. A. Farag on “Stopless Butt-Joint Multiple Curtainwall System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,637 patented Jan. 17, 1995 to F. A. Farag on a “Stopless Butt-Joint Curtainwall System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,937 patented Apr. 2, 1996 to V. H. Wilson and assigned to Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company on a “Fire Protective Flexible Composite Insulating System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,332 patented Jun. 16, 1998 to H. V. Landin et al and assigned to Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company on a “Fire Barrier Protected Dynamic Joint”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,788 patented Jun. 22, 1999 to T. R. Herren on a “Fire Blocking And Seismic Resistant Wall Structure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,385 patented Sep. 14, 1999 to T. R. Herren on an “Interior Shaft Wall Construction”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,750 patented Nov. 2, 1999 to H. V. Landin et al and assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company on a “Fire Barrier Protected Dynamic Joint”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,668 patented to T. R. Herren on May 9, 2000 on a “Seismic And Fire-Resistant Head-Of-Wall Structure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,874 patented Oct. 10, 2000 to J. R. Olson et al and assigned to Unifrax Corporation and Construction Specialties, Inc. on a “Fire Resistant Barrier For Dynamic Expansion Joints”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,340 patented Jun. 17, 2003 to M. Ishikawa et al and assigned to YKK Corporation on a “Wall Structure Of Building”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,804 patented Dec. 9, 2003 to V. S. Leytes et al on a “Self-Bearing Flexible Curtain Wall System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,233 patented Feb. 22, 2005 to F. A. Farag on a “Fire Resistant Rated Fenestration, Including Curtain Wall Systems, For Multiple Story Buildings”.